


An Awkward Conversation

by AkaiTsume



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings, Poor Daryl, mini oneshot, superdrabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:24:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1619141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaiTsume/pseuds/AkaiTsume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Daryl has been <strike>pining</strike> moping lately, and Beth, being the good person that she is, decides to give him a talking to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Awkward Conversation

 

Beth spotted Daryl on the outskirts of their camp, seated on a fallen tree. He moved his knife in short, efficient strokes as he absentmindedly skinned the rabbit in his hands. Even from this distance, Beth could see the vacant look in his eyes, as if he were lost in thought.

 

Beth took a deep breath, mentally girded her loins, and walked over to his side. She nervously clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward.

 

“Um, Daryl?”

 

He looked up, eyes focusing immediately. His expression softened when he laid his gaze upon her, as it had ever since they were reunited. She winced internally.

 

 _Steady on, girl. You know you have to do this_ , she reminded herself firmly.

 

Daryl eyed her. “So? ‘Sup?”

 

Beth fidgeted. “Daryl, um. I need to talk to you for a minute.”

 

He lifted an eyebrow, then glanced down at the rabbit. Daryl looked back up at her. “I ain’t stoppin’ you.”

 

Right. Yes. She could do this, no matter how awkward it would get. It was for his own good. Beth took another deep breath.

 

“Daryl, I hope you know that I realize what a great guy you are,” she started confidently. Daryl’s eyebrows immediately furrowed, but Beth soldiered on. “You are. You’re smarter than you…well, than you act like you think you are. You’re good-looking. You’re good to have around.”

 

As she ran through her pre-planned speech, Daryl began to look more and more uncomfortable. His eyes began darting around as if he were looking for a distraction. Jaw clenched, he returned to his rabbit and began cutting at the skin with undue force.

 

“Thanks. I guess,” he replied gruffly. Beth shook her head.

 

“Let me finish, please. I’m just saying…I know you’re a great guy. We’re all really glad that you’re here. And I’m grateful to you for rescuing me, and for taking care of me after the prison.” Beth’s nerves rose up in force, and she brought her hands out from behind her back to start fiddling with her nails. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, and…I know we got kind of…close while we were together.”

 

Daryl’s knife slipped, nicking his thumb. He swore and jammed his thumb in his mouth.

 

Beth winced and rushed out the next few words. “And I really do appreciate it! You’re a good friend, and everything, and I’m flattered that you like me—”

 

Daryl closed his eyes.

 

“—But I don’t think it’s fair to you if I don’t tell you that…I’m sorry.” Beth dropped her eyes to her hands, unable to look at Daryl. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see you that way.”

 

Silence greeted her statement, and she felt the weight of her words settle over them like a black cloud. _It’s for his own good!_ she mentally reaffirmed, lifting her head determinedly.

 

“You’re like…a really cool uncle, or a big brother to me. I mean, you’re great, like I said, and I really do mean that, but…” She glanced at him worriedly. Daryl’s face was pinched, eyes squeezed shut. Biting her lip, she continued, “You’re just too old for me.”

 

Daryl lifted a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

“Not that I’m saying you’re old!” she rushed to reassure him. “You’re not. You’re just…a _lot_ older than me, and I know that matters less now, but…I really think you need—we _both_ need—someone our own age, you know?”

 

Daryl’s cheeks were flushing red, and he bowed his head, still pinching his nose. He uttered a pained, “Beth…”

 

“And you’ll find her! I’m sure you will.” Beth went back to fidgeting with her hands. “It’s just that I’ve seen how absentminded you are lately, and how you keep staring at flowers like you want to pick them, and I know that you’re thinking about somebody all the time now—”

 

Daryl let out a quiet noise, but he didn’t look up.

 

“—So I thought it would be best if I just told it to you straight. And…I’m sorry. I’m flattered! But I’m sorry.”

 

The poor man looked so embarrassed, with his cheeks flushed bright red, that Beth couldn’t help feeling guilty. She bit her lip again.

 

“Daryl, I really am—”

 

“ _Beth_ ,” he cut in, voice choked. “I’m not. I don’t know _where_ you got that idea, but I’m not interested in you.”

 

Beth blinked. “But…the flowers! All the moping around you’ve been doing! You look _heartsick_ lately, and I just couldn’t…” She frowned in confusion. “If it isn’t me, who is it? Carol?”

 

“Beth…” Daryl’s cheeks turned impossibly redder.

 

“ _Is_ it Carol? I mean, I know you’re both friends, but I really didn’t think you two were—”

 

“Beth, I’m _gay_ ,” Daryl blurted desperately.

 

Beth reeled backwards, eyebrows flying up. Her mouth worked silently for a moment.

 

“You’re what?”

 

Daryl finally dropped his hand and tipped his head back, staring up at the sky like he wished it would swallow him.

 

“I’m gay. I like men. I’m not interested in you or Carol or nobody,” he stated wearily.

 

Beth frowned. _But that can’t be right. I know what I’ve seen, and he’s clearly pining over **someone**_ **.** She inhaled sharply, the answer hitting her like a lightning bolt.

 

“ _Rick_.” She watched in fascination as he flinched. “You’re in love with Rick!”

 

Daryl glanced worriedly over his shoulder. “I didn’t say that. I said nothin’ about Rick!”

 

“You _are_ ,” she breathed. _How did I not see it before??_ The way Daryl had gravitated towards him, backed him up with everything, even… Beth lifted her hands to her mouth, eyes filled with sympathy. “Oh, Daryl, you were _heartbroken_ when we escaped from the prison!”

 

Daryl dropped the rabbit and hung his head, burying his face in his hands. “ _Beth_. I don’t want to talk about this.”

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Daryl! I don’t…I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed anything.” Beth pressed her hands more firmly against her mouth, but she couldn’t stop herself from adding, “Are you going to tell him?”

 

Daryl tipped his head to the side just enough to glare at her. “ _No_ , I’m not telling him. I’m not telling him nothin’. _You’re_ not telling him nothin’, either. You know why? _‘Cause I ain’t said SHIT_.”

 

Beth pursed her lips and planted her hands on her hips. “And why not? I mean, it’s obvious.” She thought about it for a moment, suddenly embarrassed that she’d ever thought his actions had been about _her_. “It’s _really_ obvious. I think you should tell him.”

 

“NO.”

 

“Why not?” She hated the whining tone that entered her voice, but she couldn’t quite help it. Daryl heaved a world-weary sigh and lowered his gaze to the ground. His hands dangled between his knees.

 

“Because Rick ain’t gay, that’s why,” he replied quietly. “Wouldn’t do me any good.” He flinched. “Not that I’m admitting _shit_.”

 

But now that she thought about it…Rick looked to Daryl just as much as Daryl looked to him, didn’t he? Lately, Rick always wanted to know where Daryl was. He seemed paranoid about it. And he didn’t seem nearly as close with anyone else as he was with Daryl. And there were times, when Daryl wasn’t looking, that Rick would stare at him with this unreadable look on his face—

 

Beth smiled, leaned forward, and patted Daryl on the shoulder. “You know, I really do think you should tell him. Maybe it isn’t as hopeless as you think,” she chirped.

 

Her optimistic tone made Daryl look up. His eyebrows furrowed.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?”

 

Beth grinned and rocked on her feet. “I think…maybe you’re not as alone as you think you are.”

 

Daryl straightened slowly, a confused frown pulling at his lips. “The hell does that mean? You can’t be telling me that you think Rick is gay.”

 

Beth hummed. “Maybe. Or maybe…”

 

Daryl’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe _what?_ ”

 

“Maybe it’s just _you_ he’s interested in.” When he just blinked at her, she chuckled. “Just sayin’. You’ve been looking at him funny, now that I think about it.”

 

Daryl scowled. “Beth.”

 

“But he’s been looking at you funny, too,” she finished happily. She winked at him. “Maybe you should pay more attention.”

 

Daryl rolled his eyes, but his cheeks were still flushed. He bent down to retrieve the rabbit and awkwardly resumed skinning it.

 

“You’re full of shit,” he mumbled. “You’re the one who thought I had the hots for _you_.”

 

Beth sniffed. “I had reason to think that. I have _more_ reason to think that Rick wants you back.”

 

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. After a few beats of silence, he finally muttered, “Yeah?”

 

“Yup.” Beth rocked on her feet again. “Maybe, if you decide you want to talk to me about this stuff for real, I can help you out with that.”

 

“Like hell I will,” Daryl grumbled. He set upon the rabbit with intense concentration, his body language clearly dismissing Beth. She huffed quietly.

 

“Well, like I said, if you need me to do some recon for you, I will.” She grinned, her cheeks flushing pink. “Least I can do for embarrassing you with…you know.”

 

He shrugged, but he didn’t reply. Beth shook her head and turned away. After a few steps, however, she heard a quiet, “…You mean it?”

 

She spun on the ball of her right foot and beamed at him. Daryl was determinedly staring at the rabbit.

 

“Yup. You just say the word.”

 

The man still wouldn’t look at her, but he eventually gave her a short nod. Grinning, Beth turned and made her way back to camp.

 

 _Way to go, me. Way to be off the mark on that one._ She shook her head ruefully. As she approached the camp, however, she spotted Rick, who was looking around with a frown on his face. Beth grinned.

 

“Hey, Rick! Got a minute?” When he turned to look at her, her grin widened. “I just want to ask you something.”

 

“’Bout what?” the other man asked brusquely. Beth made her way over to his side, wound her arm through his, and beamed up at him.

 

“Oh…this and that.” She clung to his arm, watching intently as Rick continued to glance around. _He must be looking for Daryl_ , she thought with glee. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble got away from me a little bit. Beth would not let me end the conversation. >_>
> 
> For [ampkiss](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ampkiss/pseuds/ampkiss), who asked the internet to provide her with a story where Daryl is forced to tell Beth that he's gay. I tried my best. ^_^; Crossposted to my [tumblr](http://akaitsume.tumblr.com).


End file.
